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Evaluation of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) is of a paramount importance in assessing the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on patients' health status, however when costs associated with rheumatoid arthritis are also taken into account, the information provided may lead to a more balanced view in analyzing the treatment of the disease.

In accordance with the above, the main objective this study was to evaluate the impact of adalimumab treatment not only on patients' Health Related Quality of Life but also on the cost of the disease management. In order to accomplish this the study has been focused on:

Estimating the direct and indirect cost incurred by adalimumab treatment.

Measuring the Health Related Quality of Life of rheumatoid arthritis patients under adalimumab treatment.

Exploring the cost-utility relationship of rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with adalimumab by combining the Health Related Quality of Life of rheumatoid arthritis patients and direct as well as indirect costs due to RA.

More specifically, data related to patients' Health Related Quality of Life and cost associated with rheumatoid arthritis will be recorded for one-year period, and collected at four subsequent visits: baseline, month 3, 6 and 12. The visit before starting treatment with adalimumab will be considered as baseline. This information was used to compare Health Related Quality of Life and cost data before and after adalimumab initiation and therefore identify the effect of adalimumab treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) is a generic health related quality of life instrument which assesses 5 health dimensions on a scale of 1 (no problems) to 5 (worst health). An overall score is derived ranging from -.59 to +1; a higher score indicates better health.

Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (MOS SF-36) is a generic health related quality of life assessment that consists of 36 questions within 8 domains. Results from each domain are summarized and transformed into a scale ranging from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

The ICER calculation is based on comparison of differences in costs and utilities (based on Quality of Life Adjusted years [QALYs]) between Baseline and the 12 month visit. The ICER represents the extra costs that have to be incurred for one extra unit of perfect health to be produced. A treatment is determined to be cost-effective if the ICER is below a certain threshold (National Health Systems of European Union have suggested a threshold of 50,000 euros).

Eligible rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with adalimumab according to the approved Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) in European Union

Detailed Description:

Data concerning patients' Health Related Quality of Life as well as the cost of the disease treatment were collected at four subsequent periods and specifically at baseline (Visit 1), and at months 3, 6 and 12.

Moreover, at baseline patients' socioeconomic, and history of illness data as well as the use of other prescribed medication and costs due to rheumatoid arthritis have been recorded, in order to identify patients' health state before adalimumab treatment initiation.

Patients discontinuing therapy (drop-outs) either due to adverse events or on their own initiative were categorized and analyzed separately, while reasons leading to discontinuation were recorded. Adverse events were not collected in this study with the exception of adverse events leading to withdrawal.

In order to evaluate the cost-utility of adalimumab both the cost of the disease treatment and the Health Related Quality of Life of rheumatoid arthritis patients have been taken into account. The process is described below:

Face-to-face interviews were conducted by the physicians/investigators in charge in all four subsequent periods as well as before adalimumab treatment initiation. A questionnaire, divided into the following sections, was administered: 1. Patients' Sociodemographic Characteristics 2. Measurement of Health Related Quality of Life in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients 3. Cost Assessment

Eligibility

Information from the National Library of Medicine

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Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Sampling Method:

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, from hospital centres and private physicians, who were prescribed adalimimab according to the approved SmPC in the European Union, prior to the study enrollment

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients with moderate or severe active rheumatoid arthritis, who have been prescribed and are receiving adalimumab under normal clinical practice for at least one month and according to the approved Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) in the European Union.

Patients must be willing to consent to data being collected and provided to Abbott Laboratories.

Exclusion Criteria:

Contraindications according to the SmPC

Patients should not participate in other observational Abbott study

Contacts and Locations

Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01078116